


Slippery

by MeridianGrimm



Category: Magic Kaito, 名探偵コナン | Detective Conan | Case Closed
Genre: Humor, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-06
Updated: 2014-09-06
Packaged: 2018-02-16 07:24:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2261007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeridianGrimm/pseuds/MeridianGrimm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Saguru doesn't realize he's being courted by Kaito until the magician is thoroughly rooted in his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> *Technically* this is a sequel to The Confidant, because I wrote it in response to the readers of that fic who requested more. However, you don't need to have read The Confidant to read this.
> 
> I'm posting it separately instead of as a second chapter for several reasons. First, this one isn't about Kudo and there isn't really a mystery that Saguru's investigating, so it's got a very different feel to it. Second, while The Confidant had some cute KaiSagu interactions, it was only there if you were looking for it. This fic is entirely focused on the dynamic between Saguru and Kaito. I didn't want to post it as part of The Confidant because that fic was not very shippy and this one really, really is. Third, while Kaito loved being utterly ridiculous in The Confidant, he dialed it back some later on in this fic (the switch-over happens about where I cut the story in half).
> 
> Apologies for the long author's note. Hope you enjoy the fic!

Saguru blinked and wondered how he'd gotten a magician in his lap. One second he'd been texting Kudo about a cold case during physics lecture and the next his phone was gone and Kuroba was playing with his hair. "You should pay attention during class, Haku-chan."

"I don't want to hear that from  _you,_  Kuroba-kun. I can see you doodling from my seat." The rest of the class apparently knew what was good for them and ignored Kuroba's behavior as they moved seats around for group work. On the scale of one to Kuroba, the prankster invading Saguru's personal space only merited a three.

"Who were you talking to?" Kuroba asked.

Saguru saw no reason to conceal the information. "A mutual acquaintance who's a bit short on help at the moment."

Kuroba's eyes flickered in understanding at the word  _short._  "I see. And what's the precocious little gumshoe up to now?"

"Detective work, nothing you'd be interested in." He paused. "Are you planning on getting off of my lap anytime soon? I'd like to fill out the practice packet that the teacher's sending around."

He snorted. "Like you couldn't figure it out blindfolded and listening to six orchestras simultaneously."

"Get off, Kuroba."

He gasped dramatically. "Haku-chan! How inappropriate for school. At least save the sweet talk for the bedroom."

Saguru rolled his eyes at the other meaning for the phrase "get off". "You're a seven-year-old." He lightly bopped him on the head.

"No, your favorite non-fictional detective is the seven-year-old.  _I'm_  the incredibly attractive magician who's been trying to get your attention for the last ten minutes."

"Modest too," Saguru muttered. Then, louder, he continued: "Why?"

"Aoko's planning to go with a group of people to the festival that's a week from Friday, and I was wondering if you'd be interested in coming."

"I don't own a yukata." There was a slight sting in admitting that, since growing up in England meant he was missing out on the other half of his culture.

"You don't need one for the festival, but you can borrow one of mine if you want."

"You're six centimeters shorter than me."

Kuroba's smile widened to include more teeth. "Yukata are one-size-fits-all. It's all in how you position the fabric around the waist. C'mon, I can show you. The festival will be lots of fun."

"Will you let me complete my physics work in peace if I agree?"

"Of course not."

"Then what incentive do I have to acquiesce?"

"Besides the opportunity to have fun? Well, I thought you were committed in your declaration to catch the Kid. I guess I was wrong." His eyes sparkled with humor. "If you  _really_  wanted to be thorough, you'd jump at the chance to come over to my house and search for evidence. Given that you think I'm him, that is."

"For someone who doesn't want Kid caught, you sure are pulling out all the stops to – ah. Nakamori-chan threatened you to get people to go next week, didn't she?"

"Caught me red-handed, detective. So please?"

"Manipulative imp. Sure, I'll go."

xxxxxxXXXxxxxxx

Saguru was contemplating the wisdom of agreeing to enter a trickster's home when said trickster knew he was coming and could potentially have prepared all sorts of unfortunate surprises. Thankfully, Kuroba answered the door looking less mischievous than usual, so Saguru was temporarily reassured. "Come in." Kuroba was already in a yukata, and though violet was not the color Saguru would have pegged as the magician's choice, it didn't look girly in the slightest.

"We have exactly thirty minutes before we agreed to meet Nakamori-chan and the others at the festival. I trust it won't take too long to put this on?"

Kuroba shook his head, gliding into the living room. "Stand here, please. Is light green okay?" Saguru nodded, then flinched a little as the devilish grin made an appearance. "Shirt off." Whew. Saguru had been expecting hair dye or glitter.

As he unbuttoned his shirt, he stated, "If by some chance I find out later that I'm wearing this inside-out, I will repay you in kind."

"How could you fail to trust me?" Kuroba feigned a wounded expression, unfolding the garment carefully.

"Some past experiences come to mind," he answered mildly.

"Pants."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Your pants have to come off too."

Saguru stared at him, trying to remember which underwear he currently had on. To stall, he asked, "Do I  _have_  to take them off?"

"Yes," Kuroba answered, amused. "Unless you'd like me to take them off for you." The eyebrows waggled playfully, and Saguru couldn't get his belt undone fast enough. Kuroba tittered a little, but held out the yukata for Saguru to slip his arms into. Working from behind him, Kuroba adjusted the length of the vestment. "Arms out of my way, you giant." It felt oddly like he was getting a hug until Kuroba tied the obi in the back. "All set. Lemme see you."

Saguru turned around. "I'll settle for passable. It's expected that someone who looks like a foreigner would seem out of place in a –"

"You're perfect," Kuroba interrupted. He produced a thornless yellow rose with red tips and stuck it behind Saguru's ear. His grin returned. "You're going to knock 'em dead, Hakuba." Then he covered his mouth, eyes widening dramatically. "Oh dear, I'm  _terribly_  sorry. That's the wrong turn of phrase to use for a detective, isn't it?"

xxxxxxXXXxxxxxx

Of course, because Saguru left his clothes at Kuroba's house, that meant he had to return with the magician at the end of the night. The light was on in the kitchen window, and when Kuroba knocked on the door, a woman – presumably Kuroba-kun's mother – answered with a smile. "My baby," she said, pulling the messy-haired brunette into a hug. "You forgot to leave a note about going out. I called Ginzo when it was eleven and you still weren't home, and he said you were probably at the festival with Aoko."

"Sorry, Mom, I'll remember next time." He nodded at his guest. "Hakuba didn't have a yukata, so I let him borrow one. I put his clothes upstairs so they wouldn't end up in the wash today."

"Go get them, then." Looking at the detective, she inquired: "Would you like some tea while my crazy child gets changed?"

"I'd be delighted," he answered, glad that Kuroba's mother, at least, seemed sane.

"Talk about books or something," Kuroba-kun called from the stairs.

Saguru was invited into the kitchen and discussed mystery novels with Kuroba-san once he had properly introduced himself. He purposely left out the part about being in Japan to catch the Kaitou Kid, but the subject of phantom thieves came up anyway when they got to the Night Baron series. Kuroba-san was vehemently opposed to the title character committing murder in order to get away, but enjoyed the pacing and writing style of the books as well as the ingenuity of the heists. Saguru admitted that it was well constructed, but balked at the idea of romanticizing the villain's crimes.

"You'll have to come back again to finish this discussion," Kuroba-san declared with a chuckle when her son emerged in normal attire with a familiar set of clothes in hand. "Kaito won't read about the Night Baron and I don't know anyone else who would be interested in deconstructing the novels like you."

Kuroba-kun sighed melodramatically. "Another night of pointless chatter about a thief who is in many ways inferior to the amazing Kid-sama. I  _suppose_  I could be noble and suffer through it."

"No one asked you, Kuroba-kun," Saguru retorted with a grin. "Thank you, Kuroba-san, I would enjoy that."

"Tuesday evening, then, for dinner. Kaito's making yakisoba."

xxxxxxXXXxxxxxx

"Hello there, Ha~ku~chan!"

Saguru was instantly awake. "Kuroba-kun?"

The magician in question chuckled. "You fell asleep watching the commentary from the 1939  _Hounds of Baskerville_  with Mom." There was a pause, and then an amused "I didn't even know we  _owned_  any Sherlock Holmes films."

Saguru stood and stretched his legs. "My apologies." He checked his pocket watch. "There are still trains running, so I'd better get going."

"And here I was hoping you'd have to sleep over." Kuroba mockingly batted his eyelashes.

"An entire night subject to the whims of the Kaitou Kid, while I'm sleeping? I think not."

"Aww, Haku-chan, I'm only kidding. And I'm not Kaitou Kid, anyway. I'll escort you home, 'cause otherwise my mom would kill me for letting you leave alone after dark."

"If you insist."

"Oh, I  _do_. You don't want to know what Kuroba Chikage can do to those who don't follow her rules." Saguru chuckled at the idea of the sweet and humorous woman causing anyone trouble, but let the prankster accompany him home.

Before Saguru could get out his key, Baaya opened the door. "Hakuba Delwyn Saguru,  _please_  remember to check your phone now and then. If there had been an emergency, I wouldn't have been able to get ahold of you."

"Delwyn?" Kuroba-kun murmured as an incredulous aside.

"Not a word," he muttered back. Then, "Baaya, you know I'm good about it most days. I was just at Kuroba-kun's house for the evening and I fell asleep. Why did you need to call me?"

"Your father got a call that there was another heist notice delivered to Nakamori-keibu."

Saguru turned slowly to glare at his companion. "Is that so?" The trickster smiled innocently. Anyone who didn't know Kuroba would think that nothing but angelic thoughts passed through his mind. "While I was asleep, you said, Baaya?"

"About forty minutes ago, yes." Kuroba had the nerve to send a heist note  _while Saguru was at his house_.

"Thank you for letting me know," Saguru responded, still scowling at his number one suspect for Kaitou Kid. "I'll make  _sure_  to get him this time."

Kuroba didn't look fazed at all. Facing Saguru's nanny, he bowed. "Baaya-san, I'm Hakuba's friend, Kuroba Kaito. Thank you for taking care of him. He's a very good friend and you've raised him well." Saguru couldn't detect any hint of sarcasm, but with Kuroba, who could ever tell what he was thinking?

Baaya smiled at the magician. "Thank you, Kuroba-kun."

"My mom and I will be borrowing him on Friday for game night, if that's all right with you." That infuriating, obviously  _fake_  I'm-such-a-responsible-young-man face made an appearance. Saguru wanted to smack him. "Jii-chan is coming over and we need a fourth for most of the games."

Saguru looked over disapprovingly. "I suppose you didn't think to ask  _me_  first?"

Kuroba constructed a disappointed frown, presumably for Baaya's sake. "Baaya-san, does Hakuba have plans on his calendar for this Friday?"

"No," she answered, and Kuroba dropped the faux unhappiness.

"Then it's a date. See you tomorrow in school, Hakuba-kun!" Before Saguru could refuse, Kuroba jogged down the front walk and out of earshot.

"He seems like such a nice boy," Baaya commented as she walked back to the living room, and Saguru slammed the front door a little harder than necessary.

xxxxxxXXXxxxxxx

Saguru walked out from the police station's records room on Friday to find his father talking amicably with Kuroba Kaito. He rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. "Ah. Father?"

"Oh, hello, Saguru. Off to game night now, are you?"

"Yes…" It had only taken a night to cool off about Kuroba's apparent inability to ask for permission. Kuroba-kun and Kuroba-san would undoubtedly be exceptional opponents, and it followed that their other regular player would be good as well. Saguru was very much looking forward to this intellectual challenge.

"Your friend here introduced himself and has proved to be an excellent conversationalist. How long've you been here, Kuroba-kun?"

"Eh, about twenty minutes. I'm not in a rush though, since Jii-chan won't get off work for another half hour." Kuroba smiled at Saguru. "Coming? Mom says we've got dinner covered."

"Okay. Father, I'll probably be back late tonight."

Saguru's hypothesis about the game night proved to be true: the Kurobas and their family friend Jii were all outstanding strategists, though Kuroba-kun was clearly the craftiest. Two-on-two games were cutthroat when Saguru and Kuroba-kun were on opposite teams. When they were on the same team, however, the adults were hard-pressed to beat them.

Jii-chan and Kuroba-san left the table at the end of the night when the two teenagers decided to play a tiebreaker. Saguru glanced down at his hand, 6-7-8-9 of diamonds. "How good are you feeling about that hand, Kuroba-kun? What say we up the stakes?" They'd been playing for small candies with different point values.

Kuroba-kun raised his eyebrows and leaned forward, suggestive. "Oh, please, Haku-chan, tell me what sorts of punishment games you want me to play. Will there be handcuffs?"

Saguru had no response prepared for that. "I– wha– I was thinking of a box of pocky. Where does you mind  _go,_  Kuroba-kun?"

"Chocolate pocky?"

"Of course." It didn't take a genius to figure out Kuroba-kun's favorite food.

He settled back into his chair. "You're on." He didn't bring up his indecent comment again.

The round continued and Saguru gleefully laid down his hand during the show. Kuroba-kun's smile stretched like a cat whose mouse had charged straight at it. "Royal flush," he purred, laying down J-Q-K-A of clubs. "One box of pocky, Haku-chan."

The detective glowered. "When's your next game night?"

xxxxxxXXXxxxxxx

On Monday morning, Saguru laid the box on Kuroba's desk. "As promised."

The trickster's face brightened. "I thought you were going to wait until the next game."

"Are you protesting chocolate?" If he brought the pocky on Friday, Kuroba-kun would spend the whole night eating them and rubbing it in Saguru's face that he'd lost last time.

"Never!" Kuroba opened the box and twirled one of the sticks between his fingers before snapping off one end in his mouth.

"This week I'm going to bring over some board games I brought from England."

"Great! I can kick your tail at those too."

Saguru, having the advantage of knowing the tactics for those games, thought otherwise. "As long as there will be no literal tail kicking, I'm willing to take that chance. And no talk of risqué games."

"You take the fun out of everything. Speaking of games, though, there's a new game store that opened on the other side of town. I was thinking of checking it out after school today. Wanna come with?"

"Sure." Kuroba insisted on stopping off at a little ice cream parlor first, and to Saguru's surprise, ordered orange sherbet rather than some variety of chocolate. The detective had just started on his mint chocolate chip scoop in a cup when another spoon bumped his away. "Kuroba, eat your own damn ice cream. If you wanted chocolate, you should have gotten some."

"You can have some of mine," Kuroba offered offhandedly, unapologetic. "Hey, Hakuba, have you thought about the physics project yet?"

"I can tell you're changing the subject."

The magician grinned. "Humor me. Do you have a partner yet?"

"We're picking groups tomorrow. So, no." Saguru licked his spoon and went back for another dollop of ice cream.

"Be mine. With your nimble mind and my creativity, we'll end up with the best Rube-Goldberg machine in the school's history."

There was no doubt that Kuroba would go all-out on the project. His sense of competition and flair for presentation demanded it. "Do recall that all the pieces have to fit through the classroom door, Kuroba."

"Is that a yes?"

Saguru rolled his eyes. "Why not?"

xxxxxxXXXxxxxxx

Their first project meeting was held at the same ice cream parlor, at Kuroba's demand. However, after they spent three hours debating Western versus Eastern foods and declared a cooking competition to take place in the near future, Saguru decided that public places (especially places with food) weren't really conducive to actually getting work done. That was before Kuroba had eaten out of the detective's ice cream cup  _again_  (even though said detective had ordered a flavor without a speck of chocolate). Saguru had put his foot down: the ice cream shop was for leisure only.

The second meeting, held the next Monday in the evening, was significantly more successful. Kuroba seemed to like Baaya immensely, so it meant he kept his pranking to a minimum while she was in the house, and the tricks he did set off were on the less-messy end of the spectrum. Thank heavens for small favors.

"Kuroba. Stop bouncing,  _please_. I'd like my bed to have some springs left at the end of the night." The magician fell back on the mattress and giggled loudly. "Is something funny?"

Cue the eyebrow wiggle. "What are you going to be doing on here that you need the springs for?"

" _Kuroba."_

"Fine, back on track. But springs are a good idea, actually. Why don't we add some to that spinny part with the balloon animals? It'll make the shoe drop faster." Saguru noted the idea on their outline and added "spare springs?" to the supplies-from-around-the-house list on his desk.

After several more suggestions were discussed at length and either added or vetoed, Saguru's eye caught the clock on his desk: 12:18am. He frowned – losing track of time wasn't something he did. Ever. Yet somehow the evening had flown by. So this was what other people felt like. "I'll be back in a few minutes, Kuroba. Don't break anything." Downstairs, he found all the lights out and a note from Baaya:  _Kuroba Chikage called at 11:03, I confirmed that Kaito was still here._  Then, on another line:  _Don't work him too hard, dear – go to bed at a reasonable hour._  Saguru gathered several snacks in a large bowl and made up chocolate milk for himself and Kuroba-kun. And then he got caught up for a while looking at the faxed copy of the heist note that Father had left for him on the counter.

"Kuroba," Saguru began, nudging his bedroom door open, "I think you're going to have to…" he trailed off. The magician was curled up on top of the covers, pens and highlighters still strewn about him. He was laying on half of their project proposal. "Stay here," Saguru finished. He cleared off the planning supplies from the bed and put them in order on the desk. "Are you really asleep?" He could just see Kuroba scaring the living daylights out of him with some new joke. The magician was very still, though; the only motion was his chest moving rhythmically in and out. Saguru had never seen him in any mode but fast-forward. Interesting.

As Saguru changed, he debated whether or not it was worth it to move the magician to a guest room. He looked at the clock. No, not worth it. After setting out tomorrow's uniform, Saguru maneuvered the covers down and rolled Kuroba over to the side of the bed against the window. He pulled the sheets over the both of them. "Good night, Kuroba."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I picked Saguru's middle name, Delwyn, because the Internet told me that it means "pretty and white". Given that white is his color theme and that he is very pretty, I thought it fit. Saguru tells me that his mother picked it out so his name wouldn't be entirely Japanese.


	2. Chapter 2

"So, I know it's been a few weeks since you started this but… why are you two sharing lunches?" Nakamori-chan peered down at the two teens sitting at the picnic table under the oak tree.

"Kuroba is completely uncultured," Saguru explained at the same time as Kuroba said, "Hakuba has no taste for good food."

"Ah," she replied, still looking skeptical. "Is sharing lunch… normal in England?"

"Not especially," Saguru answered.

She tilted her head, obviously trying to choose her words carefully. "In Japan, that's more something that girls do. Or couples."

"Geez, Ahoko, way to be judgmental. Hakuba's not a woman, he's just effeminate."

"Says the one who clutches my arm like we're in a haunted house every time we pass a sushi restaurant," Saguru snorted. "And I am  _not_  effeminate."

Kuroba made a face at the detective. "Welcome to the town of Unable to Take a Joke, population: you. No need to take everything so seriously."

Saguru ignored him. "To be clear, Nakamori-chan, we are having a friendly competition between Western and Eastern foods."

Kuroba pretended to be miffed. "You threatened to bring in fish and chips. Nothing friendly about it."

"For someone who goofs around all the time, you're not any better at taking jokes than I am. Remember, I can't kill you off with seafood yet; we still haven't finished the physics project."

"Workaholic. Hey, Aoko, do you want the mashed potatoes from my half of Hakuba's lunch?"

She smiled. "Aoko would love to try Hakuba-kun's cooking." Sitting down next to them, she wrestled the unused fork from Kuroba and began to eat the side dish.

"Now that I think about it, Kuroba, maybe we should have an outside judge for our contest."

That all too familiar crocodile smile spread across the prankster's face. "I'm not really sure that would be fair to you, Haku-chan. Whoever we picked would know going in that if I lost, he or she might end up being at the center of my attention." The unspoken implication was that no one wanted Kuroba Kaito to focus his trickery on them.

"Don't be a bully, BaKaito."

He looked offended at his childhood friend's order. "I never said I  _would_  prank those people, just that they probably  _think_  that I'd do something. I'm not a sore loser. Plus, I'm going to win." Saguru grunted, unconvinced.

Nakamori rolled her eyes, then changed the subject. "Aoko's going out for karaoke on Saturday with the girls and Hana-chan's been talking up your huge vocal range. Only Akako-chan hasn't heard you sing yet, Kaito, and we don't want to keep talking about it because she hadn't transferred in yet the last time you came with us. Would you come and sing for a bit?"

Kuroba looked thoughtful. "On Saturday Haku-chan and I were planning to go to the magic show at the auditori –"

"There you go again making plans without asking me. You can't  _do_  that, Kuroba."

"Baaya said you're free." Saguru made a mental note to ask her to stop telling Kuroba his plans. "So, Aoko, Hakuba and I can meet up with you girls after the show, which ends about 8:30."

"Great!" Then, guiltily, she looked at Saguru. "Are you okay with that?"

Saguru had no doubt he'd be dragged there even if he protested, but given his belief that Kuroba-kun was Kaitou Kid – who was notorious for changing his voice – he reckoned that the magician's singing was fairly good. "It would be a pleasure to join you all."

xxxxxxXXXxxxxxx

Saguru probably should have expected that Kuroba would know all of the magicians from the various acts that performed during the show. There hadn't been too many other audience members in the balcony seats, so Kuroba kept up a running commentary the whole time about the history of each performer and his or her specialties and which tricks they'd invented.

" – And then Kishimoto-chan was in the US for a couple of years, in Las Vegas, and she and her husband came back last August for the annual Japanese magic convention in Tokyo. She and Sakurai-san partnered up for a few months and since it worked out well the Kishimotos moved back to Japan and –"

"Kuroba, are you even  _watching_  the show?"

"Of course. But if I didn't say something, you'd sit here and deconstruct all the tricks, which wouldn't be any fun. The point of a magic show is to make people happy. Plus, most magicians are fascinating people. I love talking about their work." Kuroba was distracted for a moment as the final act ended and the audience began to applaud. He whistled loudly and clapped unreservedly. "C'mon, I wanna go say hi to everyone backstage."

"I could just stay –"

"No, you're coming too." Saguru followed Kuroba downstairs and through the twisty hallways that led to the wings. No one tried to stop them as they mixed in with the entertainers. Kuroba greeted people he recognized with a cheerful demeanor and congratulated them on a spectacular show. Saguru spent a good deal of the time envisioning all the ways in which he could hide Kuroba's body; his classmate made a point to introduce every magician and assistant to Saguru, encouraging them to talk while he caught up with the next person he spotted. Following that experience, the two wandered over to karaoke, catching the girls just as they entered the building.

Kuroba wasn't just good at singing, he was  _phenomenal._  Saguru was swept away by the sound, amazed that it wasn't altered by a recording studio in any way. If Kuroba ever decided to give up performing as a magician, he would have his pick of managers in the music industry. Kuroba could sing bass for any choir in the country, and Saguru loved the teen's tenor even more. It was divine, hypnotic, appealing on every level.

But of course Saguru wouldn't tell him all of that. The magician didn't need an ego boost.

When the eight girls were ready to go back to Nakamori-chan's for their sleepover, Kuroba and Saguru split off for another train. The magician couldn't sit still during the ride, and hauled Saguru off enthusiastically. "Kuroba, this is the wrong stop. We still have half a dozen more until your house, and then several more until mine."

"We're not going home yet." He waved his hands and two small slips of paper appeared. "There's a detective movie premiering at midnight at the cinema. It's not Sherlock Holmes, but it's supposed to be good."

"You're taking me to a movie?"

"Are you protesting a detective film?" Kuroba asked in an echo of Saguru's earlier comment. "I dragged you to a magic show today, so I figured I'd return the favor."

"Oh… thank you. A mystery film sounds fantastic."

Kuroba bought popcorn and a large drink to share. When Saguru had looked askance at the single cup, he said, "What? It's not like we haven't shared ice cream before. My germs aren't going to kill you." Saguru had no real argument for that defense, so he offered to hold the popcorn and they got in line to have their tickets punched.

"Hakuba? Is that you?" Saguru turned around to see a familiar bespectacled child a few patrons behind them.

"Edogawa-kun. Pleasure to see you, as always." His eyes flicked over to Kudo's token "adult", Hattori Heiji. "It's been a while, Hattori-kun."

"He snuck me out from the Detective Agency," Kudo admitted. "We're going to an event tomorrow in Beika so he's crashing at my house –" meaning the Kudo family home "– and we got bored. Figured a detective movie could be interesting."

"Like we'll be able to watch the whole movie without someone dying," Hattori sighed. Then he gestured past Saguru. "Who's your friend?"

"My apologies. Hattori-kun, Edogawa-kun, this is my classmate Kuroba Kaito."

Kuroba nodded politely, hand wrapping around Saguru's arm so he could lead the detective forward while the line moved. "Nice to meet you, Hattori-kun." He tilted his head as he regarded the temporarily shortest teen. "Edogawa-kun, I believe I've seen you before, with Jirokichi-kaichou at Kid heists." Saguru muffled a snort but didn't make a comment since he'd have to spend the next two hours in a dark theatre with Kuroba, who would undoubtedly have his revenge for any Kid-themed remarks. "Pleased to meet you personally at last. Haku-chan has told me that you're very talented for your age."

Kudo studied Saguru for a moment, as if judging how much he'd told Kuroba about Edogawa Conan, then looked back at the magician. "Thank you, Kuroba-niichan."

Kuroba picked two seats in the very back of the theatre and, amazingly, kept quiet through most of the show. It wasn't the greatest mystery film ever made – more of an adventure, actually – but it was entertaining and Saguru enjoyed the twists even when he saw them coming. During the Bond-esque scene with the accomplice being tossed into the piranha tank, he heard a whimper from Kuroba. Saguru felt a pang of guilt, since the magician was only here because of him. Wordlessly he slipped his hand into Kuroba's and gave it a light squeeze. It seemed to calm him down.

By the end of the movie, Saguru was blinking rapidly to keep awake – not because of the late hour, but because days with Kuroba always turned out to be very full and incredibly exhausting. Saguru didn't remember much of the cab ride home. As soon as the detective had given the driver his address and settled into his seat, Kuroba began singing quietly to fill the silence. It was in a language that Saguru didn't know, but it sounded a little like the Korean he'd heard. The song felt soft and soothing after the long day, and Saguru found his eyes falling closed to the sound of Kuroba's ethereal tenor.

xxxxxxXXXxxxxxx

Saguru ran into Kudo again a few days later in the Beika mall. "What brings you here?" the small detective asked.

"I'm looking for a birthday present for Baaya. You?"

"Party decorations. My parents are coming home for the week. Since I know my mother will want to drag 'Conan-chan' to social events across the city, I'm making solid plans which she can't cancel."

"Very passive-aggressive." Saguru smiled. "So, party decorations?"

"I'm inviting Hattori, Agasa-hakase, Haibara, and the kids to watch the international soccer match. Honestly, the decorations are superfluous since we're just hanging out, but time spent putting them up is time not being captured and dressed like a little girl." Hakuba chuckled with him. "Feel free to drop by if you're not busy this Saturday. Oh, and you're welcome to bring your boyfriend."

"My what?"

"Boyfriend." He looked amused when Saguru didn't react. "Significant other. Sweetheart. Beau.  _Kuroba_." There was an undertone of "duh" in the statement.

Saguru paused for a long moment, thinking about how the other detective could have come to that particular conclusion. Things  _had_  changed between the magician and detective recently, but they were just friends. Except, of course, for the (all-too frequent) moments when he wanted to strangle the trickster. "Significant other?" Saguru hadn't noticed any sign that Kuroba was even into guys at –

Wait a minute. Wait a goddamn minute.

Events started to connect: Kuroba had invited Saguru over to his house alone and basically watched the detective do a strip tease before putting his hands all over him. Kuroba had introduced his family and magician friends to Saguru like a man presenting his girlfriend for approval. He'd made sure to get in good with Saguru's family too. They exchanged lunches on school days, which Nakamori-chan had even pointed out was a couple's activity, and Saguru was over at the Kurobas' house at least once a week for games. Kuroba had slept in Saguru's bed and had a habit of making suggestive comments and being physically close with him. Their after-school excursions around town, including trips to the ice-cream parlor and the cinema, could be seen as dates.

Kuroba-kun was so entrenched in Saguru's life that it was almost absurd that the detective hadn't noticed before. All at once Saguru started laughing and couldn't stop, even when Kudo looked at him like he was a mental patient. "That sneaky little bastard."

xxxxxxXXXxxxxxx

"You've been busy." Saguru couldn't squash the small bit of satisfaction that came from seeing Kuroba jump. Praise Kuroba-san for letting him into the house without informing her son.

"Part of being a performer," Kuroba replied with a smile, waving a deck of cards in one hand and shuffling the miscellaneous props around on his desk with the other. "We're always busy."

"That. Is not what I meant."

One of Kuroba's eyebrows arched. "What are you talking about, then, Hakuba?" Probably sensing that this wasn't going to be a quick I-was-in-the-neighborhood-so-I-dropped-by conversation, he set down the cards and sank gracefully onto his comforter.

"You're a slippery creature, Kuroba Kaito."

He chuckled. "You're just discovering this?"

"You've been courting me." Kuroba's gaze locked on his, both eyebrows raised now. "For months." At least two that Saguru was aware of; who knew how long this had been in the making? When the magician didn't speak, Saguru continued, "You were so patient about it, adding one activity at a time, one introduction at a time, until you became the linchpin of my social life."

"What are you going to do about it?" It was almost a dare, the way he said it, and Saguru heard that little bit of coyness in Kuroba's tone.

Saguru didn't answer. "You still drive me insane most of the time."

"You'd never have fun if I didn't show you a little bit of crazy sometimes."

"You don't ask me before making plans."

"If you didn't actually want to go, nothing I could say or do would change your mind."

"You planned this entire thing, from the first time I went over to your house."

"Recognizing subtlety and complex schemes is a necessary skill for a detective. I was just helping you practice." He coughed significantly. "Though, to be fair, not all of it was terribly subtle."

"How long have you been telling people that we're dating?"

"I haven't. I figured you should be the first to know."

"So people have just been assuming that from watching us?"

Kuroba grinned. "Reckon so."

Saguru rubbed his temples and let out a chuckle that was half self-deprecating and half genuinely amused. "I had no idea."

"And it was both frustrating and utterly adorable. So I'll ask you again, Haku-chan: what are you going to do now that you know?"

"Mmm. I haven't really decided."

"We could try a kiss, to see if you're interested," Kuroba suggested slyly. The trickster thought he was in control here, Saguru realized. That wouldn't do.

Saguru bit back a smirk as an idea came into his head to take the offensive. "Oh, Kaito-kun," he purred. He got to watch the unassailable Kuroba go pink in the cheeks. Saguru stepped closer and leaned down until he was breathing in the magician's ear, hands resting on the bed. "I'm not sure you'd want that."

"I'm wooing you. Of course I want that." Kuroba's voice was a little unsteady, and he'd shivered when Saguru murmured into his ear.

Saguru let his smirk loose. "What if I left marks?" he whispered. "You'd have to cover them up for the next heist, but even with makeup, the taskforce and I would still be able to see them. Wouldn't that be a risk?"

"I'm not Kid," Kuroba lied, a little out of breath.

"Uh huh." Having succeeded in flustering the magician, Saguru backed up abruptly and surveyed his work. Kuroba looked even more fetching with a bit of a flush on his face. And the detective agreed with Kuroba's egotistical assessment that he was incredibly attractive. Saguru could definitely see himself growing to crave that smile. Their friendship was already solidified, and with how touchy Kuroba was normally, dating him wouldn't be that much different.

"What, you're not going to do anything after saying that?" In a blink, Kuroba had jumped up from the bed, hands on hips.

"Are you admitting that the thought of a couple very visible hickeys was appealing?" Saguru had speculated that the Kaitou Kid liked a little danger, and it seemed he was right.

"Aren't you going to take responsibility for your words?"

"Why do I have to be the responsible one? You started this." Saguru relaxed, falling back into the verbal tennis match that he and Kuroba were so familiar with. It was less an argument and more a competition.

"Sorry, but who's the one who came up to my bedroom when he figured out that I've been slowly romancing him?"

"Who already fell asleep in my bed?"

"I did," Kuroba answered, even though it was a rhetorical question. He looked damn proud of himself, and Saguru laughed, breaking the confrontational mood.

He ruffled the prankster's hair. "Shameless flirt."

"Yes to both of those adjectives."

Before Kuroba could restart the verbal game, Saguru leaned down and pecked him on the lips, short and sweet. "There. You got your kiss. You're going to have to ask me on a real, proper date if you want another one. None of these stealthy not-dates you've been orchestrating."

Kuroba nodded. "Haku-chan, will you go out with me on Sunday? I was thinking we could go rock-climbing and have a picnic afterwards."

Saguru opened his mouth to answer, and then paused, suspicious. "Did Baaya already tell you that I'm busy Friday and Saturday?"

"Yes." Shameless indeed.

Saguru sighed. "You have to start coordinating with  _me_  from now on."

"I can do that."

"Good. To answer your question, Kuroba, yes, it would be a privilege to go with you on Sunday." He hadn't been to a rock-climbing gym since the birthday party he'd attended in elementary school. Kuroba was sure to work off lots of energy on the rock wall, so maybe Saguru wouldn't end up with an overly bouncy magician during their picnic.

"Awesome. And now that I've asked you on a real, proper date…" Kuroba cupped both hands around Saguru's face. With a gentleness that Saguru was unaccustomed to seeing from him, the magician leaned up until their mouths touched. Mmm. Kuroba's lips were softer than clouds on a summer day. They were warm and alive and provoked something like butterflies in his stomach. The kiss was sweet, like the first time tasting peppermint in a candy store, and it was slow, like a silent film played at half-speed to make the final scene last longer.

Saguru found himself stretching forward when Kuroba pulled back. That had been… nice. "I'll see you Sunday, then." Right now he had other obligations and should be getting back to them.

"Pack lots of water. I'll take care of food and the equipment."

"Equipment?" Saguru frowned. "I think most rock-climbing gyms provide the harnesses and climbing shoes for you."

Kuroba cocked an eyebrow, not even attempting to hide the grin on his face. "My darling Haku-chan, who said anything about rock-climbing indoors?"

That meant real cliffs.

Kuroba Kaito and real cliffs.

Kuroba Kaito and real cliffs and a picnic on top of said cliffs.

Kuroba Kaito, who never did anything halfway. "This is going to be one hell of a first date, isn't it?"

**Author's Note:**

> From Meri: Thanks for reading! Please leave a comment, even if it's just a line you liked/disliked. I wrote the last scene for this fic eight times, no exaggeration - Kaito wanted all the fluff and I was fighting to keep it playful like the rest of the story. Please tell me how I did. Every bit of feedback helps my writing :)


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